Catholic Charities USA President, Rev. Larry Snyder, issued the following statement today after the U.S. Senate reached a bipartisan compromise that would renew federal unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless for five months, allowing for retroactive payments to go to more than 2 million Americans whose benefits expired in December 2013.

“While we hoped for a longer extension so that millions of Americans are not in this same predicament in a few months, Catholic Charities USA is encouraged by the strong, bipartisan consensus reached in the Senate to extend federal unemployment insurance benefits to more than 2 million American families looking for work. Restoring this much needed economic lifeline will help ensure out-of-work Americans have the support they need to put food on the table and maintain a roof over their heads while they continue their search for employment in our slow to recovery economy.

“In the days ahead, we pray that leaders on both sides of the aisle in the House will continue the bipartisan work started in the Senate and come together to pass this essential, common-sense legislation without further delay.”